This invention relates to a device and to a method. More specifically, this invention relates to a compressible toy object and to a method for imparting animation to such toy by incorporation therein of a mechanical energy storage means.
The use of animation to increase interest in toys is common-place; and, has been utilized in a number of children""s toys, such as the Jack In Box, dolls that undergo changes in their body contours (U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,983 to Hollis), books with so-called xe2x80x9cpop-upxe2x80x9d figures or structures (U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,199 to Morris), and various and sundry other playthings of various sizes, shapes and appeal. Particularly popular among children are transformative figure toys which include body shape and/or appearance-changing components that may be selectively manipulated by the child. The shape-changing components may simulate, for example, pregnancy (U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,613, to Glass et. al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,171, to Terzian); weight gain/loss (U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,561, to Rizzo, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,729, to Gross); maturity (U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,807, to Sapkus et. al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,394, to Ayton), and; muscular development (U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,426, to Lewis et. al. as well as the aforementioned patent to Gross).
In a number of these contrivances, the animation can be imparted by simply release of a compressed or contained figure from a confining environment and allowing it to expand (U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,418 to Spector); or, alternatively, by a mechanical mechanism which is activated by movement of one or more of the limbs of the figure (U.S. Pat. 5,664,983 to Hollis).
Notwithstanding, the prior art creativity in imparting changes in toy figure contours and shapes, the means for achievement of such changes often make such toys difficult to fabricate and expensive; and, thus, impractical. Accordingly, figures formed of compressible materials which can be compressed and thereafter released, remain both popular, practical to manufacture and, thus, more affordable. The cost sensitivity of such figures is of particular significance when such items are give-aways or promotional items. Because of the processes involved in the compression and expansion of such devices, the animation or action value of figures incorporating such materials is limited and relatively conservative when compared to more animate figures and objects. Accordingly, there is a need to devise a system for a compression figure which preserves the desirable features thereof relative to each of fabrication and economy of manufacture and yet imparts more dynamic action or movement to the device that simple expansion thereof alone.
It is the object of this invention to remedy the above and related deficiencies in the prior art.
More specifically, it is the principle object of this invention to provide a compressible play toy having a combination of mechanical features to enhance animation thereof.
It is another object of this invention to provide a compressible play toy wherein the body thereof comprises both a resilient foam and a mechanism for increasing the resiliency of the foam.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a compressible play toy wherein the body thereof includes a hollow cavity for housing a mechanism for increasing the resiliency of the foam components thereof.
The above and related objects are achieved by providing a compressible figure form which includes an air permeable skin and a compressible resilient foam core, wherein the compressible resilient foam core includes resilient mechanical means within a cavity within said core. The resilient mechanical means is comprised of a material or configuration of material which is both more resistant to compression than the foam core and more resilient than the foam core. Thus, the compressible figure can be readily compacted by compression thereof into a compact form. Unlike traditional compressible figure forms, the release of the compressive forces thereon results in a rapid and unexpected expansion of the mechanical means within the figure, and thereby the full extension of the figure form along one of its principle dimensions (e.g. height). The combined effect of the expansion of the resilient foam body and the mechanical means within the figure causes increased animation (action) in the deployment/expansion of the figure form in comparison to the prior art, and effectively transforms what has traditionally been regarded as a relatively passive process into a dynamic recoil from the compressed to the fully expanded figure form.